[Illustration: The Mulroney home
302 So. Seventh Street]
Another of Fort Dodge’s brick residences built by pioneer businessmen is
the one pictured above which dates back to 1871. Erected by John M.
Mulroney, it is located at 302 S. 7th St.
The two-story house was built of soft red brick manufactured by one of
the city’s early-day brick plants and they are generally in good
condition after more than 100 years. Basement walls are of native stone.
Additions have been made to the house since it was constructed—on the
west and south sides. The original part of the house has seven large
rooms, hallway and stairway and is now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Henry W.
Janssen who acquired the property in 1944. The additions to the house
have apartments.
John M. Mulroney was born in Ireland in 1832 and came to the United
States at age 16 and took part in the 1849 gold rush in the west and
prospered there. He then returned to the middlewest and settled in
Emmetsburg where he engaged in the cattle business. He married Jane
Evans there in 1858 and they moved to Fort Dodge. On arrival here he
purchased and operated a general store on the south side of the City
Square. Some time later he sold the store and with Webb Vincent, E. H.
Rich and G. L. Rich organized the original First National Bank here.
Mulroney and his wife Jane, were parents of the following children:
Mary, who became the wife of Ed O’Connell; John E. Mulroney, father of
attorney John Mulroney who was a judge of the U. S. Tax Court in
Washington, D. C. for many years; Joe, Will and Louis, all of whom were
associated with the Mulroney Manufacturing Company which had its first
plant at Central Avenue and Tenth Street, the present location of
Wahkonsa Manor. After fire destroyed the plant the company built the
three-story brick building at First Avenue North and Seventh Street now
the home of the Marso & Rodenborn Company.
Two other sons were Charles, a physician in general practice here for
some years; and Edward, a lawyer who lived in Missoula, Mont. After the
death of his first wife, Jane, J. M. Mulroney married Hannah Byrne of
Moorland. They were parents of two sons—Robert, a lawyer who also
practiced in Missoula, Mont., and Frank, in the Flaherty & Mulroney
clothing store here.
A large barn was built south and west of the Seventh Street home to
house the several horses, carriages, sleighs and racing carts which
Mulroney owned. He generally had one or more horses in county fair
harness races in the area. A large box stall in the barn was used as a
boxing ring.
Two grandsons and one great grandson of pioneer John M. Mulroney reside
in Fort Dodge. They are William V. (Bill) and Richard J. (Dick) Mulroney
who operate the Mulroney Insurance Agency founded by their father Will
Mulroney; and Gary Mulroney of Mulroney Construction Company, the great
grandson.